GUAM
(Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) is an organization for democracy and
economic development. It was founded in 1997 after the dissolution of the
Soviet Union. At that time, the new independent states sought to gain the
geopolitical initiative. Uzbekistan was a member of this organization, which
made it possible to call it GUUAM and spread to the heart of the Central Asia.
In 2005, Uzbekistan withdrew from the project, while Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Ukraine and Moldova did not manage to coordinate their foreign-policy actions
with each other and preserve the GUAM prospects.

According
to the Charter of GUAM, the main purposes of the organization are promoting
democratic values, ensuring rule of law and respect of human rights, ensuring
sustainable development, strengthening international and regional security and
stability, deepening European integration for the establishment of common
security space, and expansion of cooperation in economic and humanitarian
spheres, development of social and economic, transport, energy, scientific and
technical, and humanitarian potential of the parties, intensification of
political interaction and practical cooperation in the fields of mutual
interest.

We
all know that this is only a cover. From the very beginning, the organization
was founded by structures of US and EU, that focused on limiting the
geopolitical influence of Russia. This is confirmed by the following facts: the
emergence of the organization was announced during the summit of the heads of
state of the European Council in Strasbourg. The first two summits of GUAM were
held in the US. At that moment, the countries of the former Soviet Union were chosen
to achieve this purpose. In addition, the Charter of the organization confirms it:
the stated purposes as "promoting democratic values" and "deepening European
integration" speak for themselves.

However,
despite numerous subsidies from the US, the project failed in the late 1990s
and early 2000s. The alleged alliance arose when Russia was geopolitically weak,
but the GUUAM members still depended on Russia in the economic, military, and
political sphere.

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However,
as many similar regional projects GUAM may be revived. The effectiveness of regional
cooperation projects depends on outside assistance and the geopolitical
situation in the region. Therefore, the leaders of the member countries resume
their meetings at the highest level. In 2017, GUAM celebrated its 20th
anniversary and in 2018, there was another meeting involving high-ranking
officials.

Currently
the geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus, provoked by stakeholders,
contributes to the revitalization of GUAM. The US and the EU are extremely
interested in it; therefore, they will encourage the participating countries in
different ways. Difficult relations with Russia are imposed to all participating
countries, except Azerbaijan. The organization itself is considered a stepping-stone
for creating a true geopolitical front to contain Russia.

The
organization created for the democratic and economic development, did not prove
its worth. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, all participating countries
received a powerful industrial base and highly developed agriculture, which
were destroyed since gaining independence. All four countries actually survive on
the millions of migrant workers who went abroad to try to earn money.

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What
is the situation with democracy and human rights in these countries? For many
years there was a devastating regime of Mikhail Saakashvili in Georgia. The new
authorities did not manage to catch and punish the criminals, as well as restore
justice. Saakashvili is still free. The Ukrainian democracy is an armed
conflict in the Donbass region, political assassinations on the streets. There
is no democracy in Azerbaijan: power is handed down from father to son. Those
who are displeased with power are afraid to speak, opposition journalists are kidnapped
even abroad... The democratic process in Moldova is the belief of Moldovans
that they are Romanians. Do you think the results are impressive? Therefore,
the revival of GUAM is nothing more than another anti-Russian platform, which
poses questionable prospects for its participants.